1. Field of the Invention
The invention refers to a device for thermically cutting of textile material by means of a heated cutting wire relative to which said textile material is moved. Devices of this type are especially used to cut away the selvedge of a cloth or fabric in weaving looms. Simultaneously, the newly generated edge of the fabric is heat sealed by these devices.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Known cutting devices of this type, as e.g. applicant's own Thermocut TC-1 S device, comprise a free cutting wire extending through the plane of the cloth and being heated substantially above the melting temperature of the cloth so that the textile material is melted already before contacting the wire. The disadvantage of these known cutting wires is their high temperature which causes the cloth material to melt and to form a ridge along the edge of the fabric. Droplets or particles of melted material may also be produced. Such thickened edges of cloth are disturbing for subsequent processes, as e.g. calendering, since the calender rolls may be damaged by said particles of melted cloth material. When the cloth is rolled up by a cloth winding device the thickened edges lead to unequal radii of the rolls between their edges and their center which may result in lateral displacement of the layers of the roll. Furthermore, the coating of driver rolls of a cloth winding device undergoes substantially increased wear in the zone of the thickened edge of the cloth. Finally, the high temperature necessary in conventional cutting wires results in a high energy consumption, in the production of smoke and gases and in a certain danger of fire.